Electric generator



sept. 2, 1924. R 1,507,348

v H. FORD ELECTRIC GENERATOR Filed NOV. 5 1920 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Z22! Z6 A Anth: Z4 Z5 Z? 9? i l :l zo iZ 44 16 J l J 15 61 48 6 A9 65 7g v 62733? v y 3 l 536 70 l a4 y /J Z8 5 Z9 i /32 I'. HIM' IW {i 2 ii i i0 i y 1W Z n wwwo @IHM/Mago H. FORD .,Sept. 2 1924..

ELEGTRIQ GENERATOR 3 sheets-shui z Filed Nov. 5, ,1920

3 Sheets-Sheet. 5

Sept. 2,- 1924.

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@broma up Z w m n ad Patented Sept.' 2, 1924.

UNITED STATES HENRY FORD, OF DEABBORN, MICHIGAN.

ELECTRIC GENERATOR.

Application. led November To all whom 'it may comm.'

Be it known that I, HENRY Fono, a c1 t1 zen of the United States o f Amerlca, resldlng at Dearborn, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Electric Generators, of which the following is a specication, reference being h ad therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to electric generators for power plant use and more particu- -larly relates to double current output generators.

The general object of the present invention is to provide a generator adapted to form an integral partof a self contained single unit power plant especially suited to the requirements eculiar to relatively small isolated insta lations for industrial purposes. To this end, and others which will hereinafter become apparent, my invention comprehends a novel organization and constructionfor a generator specifically illustrated by the embodiment of my4 invention herein set forth.

The embodiment of my invention herein illustrated and described is the generatorv section of a self contained single vertical unit hydro-electric power plant for relatively small isolated installations, where 'the output is required to satisfy a large variety of needs rather than a large volume load. Thus, for example, it is feasible by the present invention to develo ally for direct industrial use a one or togethcr with a limited local service supply 111i rural districts,a large number of relativelyl small scattered water power sites whic have heretofore not justified the development and installationv usually necesability of this generator to supply selectlvely or simultaneously-both direct l,and alternating currentstrongly recommends it as an isolated installation for small industrialE establishments where the direct current may be needed for the usual nearby motive ower requirements and where the alternatln current may be needed for economica electric welding or for the supply of the electric motive power under conditions where sparking at the brushes is not permissible, or under 'conditions where the voltage must be boosted to facilitate transmission torelatively remote motor or lighting installations or for laboratory purposes individu- 5, 1920. Serial No. 421,859.

or for supplying to a limited extent surplus or oil' hour service for domestic or other non-industrial purpose.

At the same time its particular constructlon enhances a relatively low first cost,

safety and simplicity of operation, of installation and reliability of ance.

In Figure 1 of the drawings I have shown a vertical axial section of a generator constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the machine shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail view in plan of the collector rin and their brushes;

Fig. 4. 1s a similar view of the commutator, its brushes and brush carrier andthe adiusting mechanism therefor; and

ig. 5 is a detailview constituting a vertical fragmentary section of the locking device for the brush carrier.

The lower end frame 1 constitutes the generator base and is preferably annular in form. Its lower end is adapted to rest centrally upon the vtubular casing 2 which is a rigid vertical extension of the prime mover, in this case a horizontally rotatable water turbine, and may be bolted therewith to a foundation. Upon the upper end of this end frame is centrally secured the horizontally disposed iield frame 3 carrying internally eight angularly equidistant and electromagnetically equivalent pole.p1eces 4 each provided with a coil of the iield shunt winding 5 and series winding 6 and this field frame has centrally secured to its upper end the annular upper end frame`7.

An armature comprising a laminated annular core'slotted to receive the armature coils 8. and mounted on a spider 9 the lhub of which is ri 'dly xed to the vertical armature s ind e or shaft 10 is constrained and carrie by the up er and lower armature shaft bearings to Ee horizontally rotatable within the iield.

The upper bearin is an annular combined radial and thrust all bearing having its economy external raceway 11 set into an annular 1'0.'

cavity formed in a central hub 12 of the upper end frame 7. In this hub, directly beneath the bearingcavity is provided an annular oil well 13 having an u wardlv divergent outer wall leading into t e ballvrace of the bearing and above the cavity in the` space intervening between its upper edge and the open 9.1.1@ O f the hub bore 1S n performannular undercut overow recess 14a The oil well'is provided with a duct commun1cat ing with the combined filling tube and sight glass 15 and the draining plug 16.

Through the neck 17 which pro3ects up-v wardly from the bottom of the oil well 13 p to a point just above the overflow recess 14 and forms a central inner wall for the annuli within the hub 12, passes the upper end of the amature shaft 10 clearing the inner surface of the neck in its passage.

The end ofthe shaft projecting through the vneck 17 is shouldered, a short distance 'above the upper end of the neckand reduced in diameter at 18 to receive the bearing engag'in hub 19 which is keyed to the shaft at 20 an held thereon by the nut 21 screw- Y threaded-to an extension ofthe reduced portionv 18 which nut is locked by the screw 22. The bearing engaging hub overhangs the neck 17 and is recessed to clear-the exterior portion thereof by a clearance of sulii- V cient magnitude to overcome the capillary attraction between the adjacent surfaces of the neck and the over-hanging hub wall l23 which latteris shouldered at 24 and fitted to the internal raceway 25 of` the bearing. A removable cover cap 26 completes: the

enclosure of the bearingmechanism.

Presuming the filler tube to be filled until the oil is just visible in the sight glass 27 the height of the neck 17 will prevent vthe oil passing down the armature shaft and when the machine is in motion the whirling movement imparted by the adjaf cent moving parts will cause the oil to flow outwardly awayfrom the neck andthe over- `being thrown out of 'its open bottom end.'

This will provide a. moving annulus of oilvfor .the upper bearing while avoiding fouling the exposed electrical element of :the machine.

The lower armature shaftb'earing islo-V cated under` the armature with its vcentral- `plane ad'acent the plane of the pole pieces of the eld and its outer raceway 28 is fittedV into the bore of p hub 29 formed concentric with the low"`\f`jnd frame '1.

inner raceway 30 of the\bea ring vis mounted:

' on a sleeve 31 xed to the armature sha.

andl provided with an oil well 32. The upper and lower ends ofthe innerraceway 30 of the bearing bear ectivelyagainst the lower end vof the hul) o the armatures ider which is spread outwardly to cover the rf "igand a shoulder foinied on the retaining .sleeve 31.. Thus the bearing is held axially in place.' The outer raceway 28 however Theing vring 43 is.. rovi latter; and'this -and wheel vspindle is se-,

may clear the lower end of the armature hub and the up er end of the'outer wall v -33 of the oil we this wall is provided with clearancewithin the bore engaging with the periphery of the outer racewayv of the bearing.

The output of the generator may be taken from -either or both of two branches constituting the external circuit nof the machine.

A commutator'having a (io-operating; set of 32 and the periphery of brushes that lead off and rectify that portion of the armature currents constituting the field exciting current and the -direct current output of the machine, providing for one branch; and a pair of collector rings having a co-operating set of brushes that lead oil' the remaining portion of ythiearmature currents as they are whicheonstitutes the alternating current out p11 providing for the second branch. l

To this end, a peripheral type-'bf commuf ta-tor is rigidly mounted upon the rim of a spoked drum 34 preferably formed intef' al with an upwardly extending end of the hub ofthe armature splider. `This commutatoris built up of a plurality of segments 35 clamped as a composite annulus of angularly arranged conductor bars insulated from one another and fromtheir mounting, between the inturned flanges of the ianged collar 36 and its clamping ring` 37 which are bolted together as shown. Eachv segment may lbe provided witha conducting bar-38 for connecting to its c mmutating point, of the armature winding which may in this embodiment be presumed to be a continuous closed coil.

- Eight annularly Vmounted duplex brushes 40 bear against the periphery of the commutator, each pair of brushesfbeing pivotally mounted on aninsulatedgstud 41 carried in one of the inwardly extendingarms 42 rigidly attached to a brush carrying ring 43 held horizontally and concentric with the armature shaft to the inner side of the end frame to permit of a limited amount of concentric angular movement whereb the lead "or lag adjustment of the brushes 1s obtained.; A hand wheel 44 having a spindle 44"'L passing through and journaled in the end frame as shown in Figure 1 and having formed on its lower end the pinion 45 which meshes with the rack teeth 46 formed in a portion of thel periphey of the brush carryed for shifting the cured longitudinally by a pin 47 Aengaging at its inner lend, an annular groove 48.

'of the frame endmembeifmachined with their surfaces in a common plane, it bei intended that the heads of the screws sha1 merely hold the ring in place against the lower surface supporting bosses and not pinchthe ring.

A device for clamping or locking the brush carrying ring in its adjusted osition is shown in Figures 2, 4 and 5. This consists in a clamp plate 52 having a pair of u turned anges embracing the sides of the r1n a bolt 58 having its head secured to an its shank passing throu h the clamp plate, through the arcuate s ot 54 of the ring, through the lower portion of the end frame and the screw-thread ortion of said shank threaded into the ho ow end of a spindle 55. The lower end of the spindle is set into a counterbored portion of the bolt hole and its upper end is provided with a hand wheel 56.

The collector rings 60 and 61 are preferably considerably smaller in diameter than is the commutator, vand are each rigidly v mounted on an individual ange 62 keyed to and axially spaced onV the armature shaft between the commutator and the upper bearing as shown in Figures 1 and 3. The mounting comprises a plurality of outwardly extending -bosses 63 formed on the iianges to which are bolted the inwardly extending arms 64 formed in the collector rings by bolts passing ythrough insulating bushings in the fianges and threaded into the arms of the rings. An insulating washer is also'interposed between the arms and bosses of the two members thus secured. The brushes 65 and 66, one for each ring, are pivotall mounted and spaced apart on a stud 6g threaded into the end frame and are insulated both from the frame and from each other. The leads 7() and 71 attached as shown at 72, in Figure 3, are taken respectively from the rings 60 and 61 and passing through an open central portion of the commutator mounting are each tapped to the armature windings at four appropriate points. That is, they are alternately tapped into the windings at eight vsimultaneously no voltage points.

The upper side of the inert portion of the commutator isfformed into a sort of receptacle by forming annular recess 73 therein. In the present instance, this is formed by the upstanding annular fiange of the ring 37 and the diameter of this recess or cavity should be substantially larger than the diameter of the collector rings, whereby the metal particles as they are dislodged from the rings and their brushes by wear will be caught in this cavity and prevented from lodging on the commutator segments.

To enhance this action theair above the 'commutator is kept substantially stagnant aside from its whirling movement and thus the openings 74 in the upper end frame are adapted to. be closed, openings 75 alone in the upper end frame being left open for venting or circulation.

Havin thus fully described my invention,

1. In an electric generator, the combination with a field, having an armature rotatably mounted therein and an end frame mounted at one end of the field, of a collector-ring formation and its brushes mounted within the end frame, a commutator mounted between the armature and said collector-ring vformation and within the end frame, a plurality of brushes arranged about the commutator, an annular brush holder comprising a ring rotatably secured to and within the end frame and extending in a plane normal to the axis of rotation of the commutator intermediate the collector-ring formation and the commutator, said ring having a plurality of inwardly extending arms upon which the brushes are pivotallv mounted and from which they are insulated, and means for connecting alternate brushes to one of the sides of their common circuit.

2. In an electric generator, the combination with a field having an armature rotatably mounted therein and an end frame mounted at one end of the field, of a commutator mounted at one end of the armature and within the end frame, a plurality of brushes arranged about the commutator, an annular brush carrierhaving a ring rotatably secured within the end frame and means for imparting a limited amount of rotative movement to the ring including an arcuate rack arranged about the ring and fixed with relation thereto, a bearing in the end frame, a rotatable spindle having a pinion at its inner end meshing with said rack and passing through the bearing in the end frame wherein it is journaled, an annular groove formed in that portion of said spindle within its bearing,- a pin set into a side of said spindle bearing transversely thereof and having one end projecting into said groove, means for holding the pin toward the spindle, and external means for rotating the spindle.

3. In a vertical double current electric generator, the combination with a horizontally rotatable peripheral collector ring of relatively small diameter and a brush engaging with theperiphery thereof, of a horizontally rotatable commutator of relatively large diameter mounted directly beneath the collector ring and having formed in the electrically inert portion of its upper end an annular recess circumscribing the periphery of the ring and adapted to collect the metallicparticles that are dislodged from the ring and its brush.

4. In a vertical double current electric` generator, the combination with a commutator and a pair of peripheral collector rings mounted respectively yand successively one abovevthe other u on a rotatable conductorcarrying shaft, o a air of brush arms one for each ring pivotal y mounted upon a com- 5 mon stationary axially extending stud and having their brush carrying endsv extending in opposite directions about the peripheriesI of the rings, a pair of brushes mounted one in each of the arms and each adapted to 10 be held to its ring in angularly spaced relation with respect to the other whereby the particles 4dislodged byeachV brush in its co- 

